Method of forming piston pin holes and boring system therefor

ABSTRACT

A piston pin hole boring system and method of forming pin holes therewith includes fixing a piston to a fixture supported by a slide member. Then, rotating a cutting member about a first axis and moving the slide member with the fixture thereon toward the cutting member along the first axis and bringing the piston into cutting contact with the cutting member. Further, moving the fixture along second and third axes, each extending transversely to the first axis and machining the desired pin hole contours in the piston with the cutting member.

This divisional application claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No.12/490,616, filed Jun. 24, 2009, and is incorporated herein byreference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Technical Field

This invention relates generally to pistons, and more particularly tomethods of forming pin holes in the pistons and boring systems therefor.

2. Related Art

Pistons have diametrically opposite pin holes configured for receipt ofa wrist pin. The wrist pin is couple to a connecting rod to provide atransfer rotation motion of a crankshaft to reciprocal linear motion ofthe piston with a cylinder bore. The wrist pin can be configured forrelative movement within the pin holes and/or with a bore of theconnecting rod, as desired. Regardless, it is desirable to minimizefrictional wear between the wrist pin and the pin holes and/orconnecting rod bore. Accordingly, precise formation of the respectivebores is critical to provide the assembly with a long and useful life.

Commonly, the pin bores of the piston are formed by holding the pistonin a fixed position while moving a cutting tool linearly through pinbosses of the piston. Typically, the pin holes are formed in separateoperations at separate times, or they are formed at the same timethrough the use of separate cutting tools arranged on opposite sides ofthe piston. The cutting tool is configured to rotate and to movelinearly along an axis transverse to a central longitudinal axis of thepiston.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

A piston pin hole boring system in accordance with one aspect of theinvention includes a cutting member rotateable about a first axis and aslide member spaced from the cutting member along the first axis. Theslide member is moveable toward and away from the cutting member alongthe first axis. Further, a fixture is supported by the slide member andis configured to receive a piston in fixed relation thereto. The fixtureis moveable along a second axis extending transversely to the first axisand along a third axis different from the second axis, with the thirdaxis extending transversely to the first axis.

In accordance with another aspect of the invention, a method of formingpin holes in a piston is provided. The method includes fixing the pistonto a fixture. Then, rotating a cutting member about a first axis andmoving the fixture along the first axis and bringing the piston intocutting contact with the cutting member. Further, moving the fixturealong a second axis extending transversely to the first axis and along athird axis different from the second axis, the third axis extendingtransversely to the first axis.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects, features and advantages of the invention willbecome more readily appreciated when considered in connection with thefollowing detailed description of presently preferred embodiments andbest mode, appended claims and accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a piston pin hole boring systemconstructed in accordance with one presently preferred aspect of theinvention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring in more detail to the drawings, FIG. 1 illustrates a pistonpin hole boring system 10 constructed in accordance with one presentlypreferred embodiment. The system 10 is operable to form piston pin holes12 of any peripheral profile in a piston 13 for a vehicle internalcombustion engine (not shown), whether circular or non-circular. Thedesired profile can be precisely formed under controlled feedback via acontrol system 14. The system 10 includes a cutting member 16, a slidemember 18, and a fixture 20. The cutting member 16 is rotateable about afirst axis 22, while the slide member 18 is moveable toward and awayfrom the cutting member 16 along the first axis 22, as indicated byarrow Ax. The fixture 20 is supported by the slide member 18 and ismoveable relative to the slide member along a second axis 24 thatextends transversely or substantially transversely to the first axis 22,as indicated by arrow Ay, and also a third axis 26 that extendstransversely or substantially transversely to the first axis 22, asindicated by arrow Az, and preferably transversely or substantiallytransversely to the second axis 24. The fixture 20 is configured toreceive the piston 13 in fixed relation thereto, and thus, the piston 13is moveable conjointly with the fixture 20 and also the slide member 18.Accordingly, the piston 13 is moveable relative to the cutting member 16along the first, second and third axes 22, 24, 26, thereby allowing thepin holes 12 to be formed of any suitable peripheral geometry, asdesired.

The cutting member 16 can be provided as a cutting tool having anysuitable configuration of cutting teeth or grinding surface. The cuttingmember 16 can be used to form a single one of the pin holes 12 or a pairof the pin holes 12 in laterally spaced pin bosses 25, 27 in a singleoperation. As such, a pair of diametrically opposite and/or laterallyspaced pin holes 12 can be formed in a single operation. Accordingly,the cutting member 16 is preferably provided having a length sufficientto extend through both the laterally spaced pin bosses 25, 27. Thecutting member 16, although being rotateable about the first axis 22,can be maintained in a fixed position along the first axis 22 during thepin hole forming process.

The slide member 18 is spaced from the cutting member 16 along the firstaxis 22. The slide member 18 is supported by a base 28 and is configuredto move relative to the base 28 along a substantially straight, linearpath toward and away from the cutting member 16 along the first axis 22to initiate and complete the pin hole cutting process. The piston 13 andthe fixture 20 can remain fixed relative to the slide member 18 as itadvances along the first axis 22 into initial cutting engagement withthe cutting member 22. The slide member 18 is moved sufficiently alongthe first axis 22 to bring at least one or both laterally spaced pinbosses 25, 27 into cutting contact with the cutting member 16.Accordingly, one or both of the pin holes 12 can be formed in a singlecutting operation by the single cutting member 16. As such, upon beingmoved to the desired cutting position, the cutting member 16 extendsthrough one or both of the pin bosses 25, 27.

With the slide member 18 advanced to the desired position along thefirst axis 22 and with one or both the piston pin bosses 25, 27 havingbeen brought into cutting engagement with the cutting member 16, fixture20, with the piston 13 carried thereon, is moved along the second andthird axes 24, 26 either simultaneously and/or separately. While thepiston 13 is being translated conjointly with the fixture 20, the slidemember 18 can be maintained in a stationary position. Further, whilemoving the fixture 20 along the second and third axes 24, 26, thecutting member 16 continues rotating at a desired rpm, which can bevaried as desired, in centered, coaxial relation about the first axis22. Accordingly, as the fixture 20 moves along the second and third axes24, 26, which extend transversely to the first axis 22, one portion ofthe cutting member 16 is brought into cutting contact with the piston 13while at the same time another portion of the cutting member 16 remainsout of cutting contact with the piston 13. As the piston 13 movesconjointly with the fixture 20 along the second and third axes 24, 26,the portions of the cutting member 16 being brought into and moving outof cutting contact with the piston 13 continually varies.

While moving the fixture 20 and the piston 13 attached thereto along thesecond and/or third axes 24, 26, the precise control of machining can beattained via the control system 14. As the fixture 20 moves along thesecond and/or third axes 24, 26, continual monitoring of the closed loopfeedback via the linear motor control system 14 can be performed toensure the precise geometric contour of the pin holes 12 is beingmachined.

Accordingly, the innovative system 10 is useful in forming pin holes 12via an innovative pin hole forming method. The method includes fixingthe piston 13 to the fixture 20; rotating the cutting member 16 aboutthe first axis 22, wherein the cutting member is provided having anouter diameter smaller than the desired pin hole diameter, and movingthe fixture 20 along the first axis 22 and bringing the piston 13 intocutting contact with the cutting member 16. While moving the fixture 20along the first axis 22, the method contemplates fixing the cuttingmember 16 against translational movement along the first axis 22. Then,after positioning the piston 13 in a desired, substantially fixed axialrelation with the cutting member 16, wherein the cutting member 16 iseither fully extended through one or both pin bosses 25, 27, the methodcontinues by moving the fixture 20 along the second axis 24 extendingtransversely to the first axis 22 and along the third axis 26 extendingtransversely to the first axis 22, either simultaneously and/orseparately. While moving the fixture 20 along the second and third axes24, 26, the method includes moving one portion of the cutting member 16into cutting contact with the piston while at the same time maintaininganother portion of the cutting member 16 out of cutting contact with thepiston. Further, the method contemplates controlling the movement offixture 20 along the second and third axes 24, 26 in response tocontrolled feedback from the closed loop control system 14.

The method further includes supporting the fixture 20 on the slidemember 18 and configuring the fixture 20 to move conjointly with theslide member 18 along the first axis 22 toward and away from the cuttingmember 16. Further, the method includes configuring the fixture 20 tomove under controlled movement along the second and third axes 24, 26relative to the slide member 18 and cutting member 16. Accordingly, theslide member 18 can remain stationary while the fixture 20 is movesalong the second and/or third axes 24, 26, and the cutting member 26 canremain fixed, other than rotating about the axis 22. It should berecognized that the piston 13 remains fixed to the fixture 20 and thus,move conjointly therewith.

The method further includes bringing the cutting member 16 into cuttingcontact with laterally spaced pin bosses of the piston 13 while movingthe fixture 20 along the first axis 22. As such, one or both of the pinholes 12 can be formed in a single machining operation. Of course, itshould be recognized that the method also contemplates forming one pinhole 12 in one of the pin bosses and then, rotating the piston 13 aboutits longitudinal central axis and forming the other pin hole 12 in theopposite pin boss, if desired.

Obviously, many modifications and variations of the present inventionare possible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims, the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method of forming pin holes in a piston,comprising: preparing a fixture which is supported on a slide memberthat is configured to move the fixture in a first horizontal directionand wherein the fixture has a flat top surface; fixing a piston bodyhaving a generally flat combustion surface to the fixture with thecombustion surface facing the flat top surface of the fixture; rotatinga cutting member about a first axis which extends parallel to the firsthorizontal direction; moving the fixture with the slide member in thefirst horizontal direction to bring the piston body into cutting contactwith the rotating cutting member; and moving the fixture with the pistonfixed thereto in a second horizontal direction which extendshorizontally and perpendicularly to the first horizontal direction andalso moving the fixture with the piston fixed thereto in a verticaldirection which extends perpendicularly to the first and secondhorizontal directions to machine pin holes in the piston body.
 2. Themethod of claim 1 further including bringing the cutting member intocutting contact with laterally spaced pin bosses in the piston bodyduring said step of moving the fixture in the first horizontal directionto machine the pin holes into the pin bosses of the piston body.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 further including fixing the cutting member againstmovement in the first horizontal direction.
 4. The method of claim 1further including moving the fixture in the first and second horizontaldirections in response to feedback from a closed loop control system. 5.The method of claim 1 wherein the cutting member has an outer diameterthat is smaller than the desired pin hole diameter.
 6. The method ofclaim 1 further including moving one portion of the cutting member intocutting contact with the piston body while at the same time maintaininganother portion of the cutting member out of cutting contact with thepiston body.